ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. row — to paddle
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. row — a line
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. march — the month
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. march — the month
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. march — music
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com